(NaturalNews) Robert Foster used to weigh 327 pounds and his wife Jessica, tipped the scales at 287.(1) While Robert outwardly dealt with his weight though humor and embracing his love for bad foods, Jessica often felt as if she were invisible. However, when comments such as "she used to be something to look at. Not anymore" and the inability to easily interact with their children become emotionally and physically taxing, the couple decided to turn to a healthier lifestyle.(1)

Dietary changes helped lead to weight loss

These days, they are avid runners and when it comes to eating, gone are the days of beef, barbeques, having second helpings, and junk food. The result? They've lost a combined weight of 280 pounds and are thrilled with their improved lifestyle.

Their journey with healthier food choices started by shopping around the perimeter of grocery stores, avoiding aisles of processed, sugary foods and instead, adding more fruits and vegetables to their diet. Eventually, they even started making foods like sauces and dressings from scratch. "Our whole philosophy towards food was adding good things," says Robert. "What we found was, the more and more good things we added, the less we craved the garbage."(1)

In fact, they were so happy with their diet of whole foods and greens that they recently decided to become vegan.

Health benefits of going vegan

According Nicole Geurin, MPH, RD, passing on consuming animal and animal-derived products can help reduce saturated fat and cholesterol intake, which elevates the good (HDL) cholesterol while lowering the bad (LDL).(2) It's even suggested that just omitting animal products a few days a week may have health benefits, something that may be helpful for those not yet ready to fully subscribe to a 100 percent vegan lifestyle.

In 2000, total meat consumption was 195 pounds per person, up nearly 60 pounds more than in the 1950s.(3) In addition to meat eaters being linked with having more incidences of cancer, obesity and heart disease, it's also a known fact that the U.S. meat industry injects the majority of livestock with antibiotics in order to "create" animals that are essentially producing machines.(4)

Eating fresh, whole foods that include plenty of fruits and vegetables is a wise choice for both the health of people as well as for the environment. In fact, the Fosters cite environmental and ethical reasons for their choice to become vegan, a reason many people say is behind their decision.(1)

Sources for this article include:

(1) http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/14/health/irpt-weight-loss-fosters/

(2) http://www.livestrong.com

(3) http://www.usda.gov/factbook/chapter2.pdf

(4) http://www.takepart.com

About the author:
A science enthusiast with a keen interest in health nutrition, Antonia has been intensely researching various dieting routines for several years now, weighing their highs and their lows, to bring readers the most interesting info and news in the field. While she is very excited about a high raw diet, she likes to keep a fair and balanced approach towards non-raw methods of food preparation as well. >>> Click here to see more by Antonia